PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – A South Florida mother was furious after she said both of her young son’s ankles were taped to his shoes.
Charissa Richardson told Local 10 News that her 2-year-old son came home from Nob Hill Academy in Pembroke Pines with his shoes taped to his ankles with black tape.
“We had to use scissors because he was actually crying from trying to peel the tape off,” she said.
Richardson is stationed at Homestead Air Reserve Base and her son goes to Nob Hill five days a week.
Richardson says her son’s ankles were irritated from the tape.
“He was taking his shoes off in class and for that reason they had taped his shoes to keep his shoes on,” she said.
Local 10 News’ Bridgette Matter called the school, and the director sent a statement which read:
“The owners and director at Nob Hill Academy are deeply disturbed by the action taken by the staff member. We have taken immediate action and the staff member has been terminated. The safety and welfare of children has always been and will always be our top priority. "
Richardson also received a letter from the director, who said they spoke to her son’s teacher. It read, in part:
“She was apologetic and remorseful in her statement and understood her actions were not appropriate. She said she made an extremely poor misjudgment.”
One parent whose child also attends the day care told Local 10 News Tuesday that she agrees with the decision to fire the employee.
“Yes, I think she should’ve been fired because we send our kids to school in hopes that they’re treating our kids the way we treat our kids,” the mother said.
Richardson, meanwhile, is helping her son cope with what happened.
“I can tell it affects him emotionally,” she said. “He was pointing at the scratches on his ankles. He was crying about it.”
Richardson says she has since pulled her son from the day care.
“I’m just very shocked,” she said. “I don’t know how that was even a thought to duct tape his shoe to his ankle. Even if he was taking it off, at least let me know this is going on.”